Police are using a bike equipped with a tracking device to catch thieves red-handed.
The covert mountain bike will be left at different spots in and around Cwmcarn Forest. If stolen, officers will be able to track the mountain bike and catch the thief.
Police hope the introduction of the bike will act as a deterrent against bike theft.
Officers are also using mountain bikes to carry out patrols, both undercover and in full police uniform around the area.
During the summer of 2009 over 40 mountain bikes were stolen from Cwmcarn Forest. This year, eight bikes have been stolen since January and officers have made six arrests relating to the theft of bicycles.
PC Leighton Webb, ward officer for Abercarn, said: “We’ve been working hard to tackle the theft of mountain bikes from the area, including increasing our patrols and encouraging riders to make sure their bike is secure.
“Our latest operation aims to prevent further thefts. It is hoped that the Capture Bike will not only help us to catch any bicycle thieves, but will also help to make people think twice about stealing a bicycle and act as a deterrent.”
Abercarn PCSO Allan Mills added: “We’ve been encouraging riders to take precautions to keep their mountain bikes more secure. Many of these bikes cost thousands of pounds, so we are advising riders to use top quality locks and chain their bike to something secure when it’s not in use.
“It’s also advisable to security mark your bike, by marking your postcode and house number in UV ink, so that if it is ever stolen and recovered it can be returned to its rightful owner.
“Riders can also log their bicycle on immobilise.com, which is a protected database accessed by police right across the UK. Again this makes it easier to trace the owners of property that has been registered, so it can be returned to its owner.”
Cwmcarn Forest, which is run by the Forestry Commission and Caerphilly County Borough Council, is a seven-mile scenic route, popular with cyclists and walkers, as well as campers.
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